Kuranyi impressed by Schalke Raul signing

Kevin Kuranyi admits his former club Schalke have taken a huge leap forwards by signing Raul as a replacement for him this summer.

Raul signed from Real Madrid earlier this week and will lead Schalke's forward line in place of Kuranyi,
who moved to Dynamo Moscow after his contract with the expired last month.

The Germany striker turned down the offer of a new deal, but had he remained at the club, the chances are they would not have signed Raul.

And Kuranyi acknowledges the fact that his departure now looks like a godsend to the Bundesliga club.

"He is a living football legend and, despite being 33, he is a better striker than me,'' Kuranyi told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper.

"You have got to face the facts. Raul has won the Spanish title and Champions League several times and I have got to recognise that. And strikers usually hit their peak after around 28 so my best time is yet to come.''

Kuranyi is also convinced that Raul will do what he failed to do with the Royal Blues and fire them to their first ever Bundesliga title next season.

"Unfortunately, I was unable to reach this goal in five years in Gelsenkirchen,'' Kuranyi said. "Definitely (with Raul) the title (is possible).''

Kuranyi made his official debut for Dynamo in the Russian Premier League on Saturday, but could not help them to more than a 1-1 draw with Krylya Sovetov.

Nevertheless, he hopes to set the Russian league on fire this season and convince Germany coach Joachim Low to give him a second chance with the national team.

"I am not giving up and I want to get back into this team,'' he said. "I know that I will probably have to give a little more than my rivals, but I want to do it. I will perform so that my goals will recommend me for a place in the national team.''